


close to you.

by bledstars



Series: Claudeleth Week 2020 [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Claudeleth Week, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Soft Love, University AU, claudleth week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25830847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bledstars/pseuds/bledstars
Summary: five times claude denied it was a date until finally byleth got tired of his bullshit.Prompt: Modern/School
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Series: Claudeleth Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851031
Comments: 8
Kudos: 83





	close to you.

**1\. the library.**

“It’s not a date.” He had told Hilda who had the most shit eating grin on her face when he told her of his weekend plans. Despite how he tried to shrug it off, he couldn’t help but feel himself blush, ears turning hot as his best friend kept staring at him with that same smirk. “Seriously Hilda! We are just going to a library.” 

“Right…cause going to a library together could never ever qualify as a date…especially for a nerd like you.” 

“It’s not a date!” He yelled back when she turned around and waved a hand in the air. 

“Whatever lover boy.” 

It’s not a date and yet he still felt nervous as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He tapped his foot as he checked his phone for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. She was late. Maybe she got busy and was not going to show up. Why did he care if she stood him up or not, it wasn’t a date. It wasn’t…

“Claude!” A voice said breathlessly and when he turned around he saw her. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her cheeks flushed like she had just ran. “I’m so sorry! I overslept and then the train was late and of course my phone ran out of battery! Did you wait long?” 

The apologetic look in her blue eyes, the way her eyebrows furrowed. He wished he could be a little bit upset but she looked so cute.

**_Wait. Cute? What?_** Eyes widening at his thought process, he shook his head. He really needed to make sure Hilda didn’t get inside his head like that. “Ahh I wasn’t waiting long. You said you needed some books on Almrya history, right?”  


“Yes…Thank you so much, Claude! You’re a lifesaver!” She smiled so brightly as she walked up to him and adjusted the tote bag over her shoulder. “I owe you one.” 

“Ahh..Don’t mention it.” He said sheepishly before opening the door for her. Yes, it was just being a gentleman, this wasn’t a date. It couldn’t possibly be a date. Nope.They were not dating.

**2\. the late night dinner.**

It was late at night and he was pulling yet another all nighter. Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He was starving and knowing his luck, he had lost track of time and every place nearby the lab would be closed. He would have to settle for some frozen mystery meat burger from the vending machine. Again. 

Knock Knock. 

He turned his head and saw Byleth at the other side of the lab door. Lifting her hand up, she carried a plastic bag of takeout.“My savior.” he said as he spun around his chair and opened the door to the university laboratory. 

“I believe I owed you a favor.” She said in response to his raised brow that did not match his cheeky grin. “And I recall you complaining how you were behind on your lab reports. Thus I came with some food and company.” 

“You…are literally an angel, By.” He said before turning around to move some of his papers away so they can have a proper bite to eat. “I was debating on if I should go for the burrito or the burger from the vending machine.” 

“…You mean you were going to eat food wit ha questionable expiration date?” 

“I need to survive, Byleth...sometimes with food that look more green than it should be....” 

“Well thank goodness I came before you accidentally poisoned yourself.” She said with a deadpanned expression that was answered with a laugh from him. 

This was not a date. He repeated in his head before he took a bite to eat and rolled his eyes back at the delicious and warm taste of the takeout that she had gotten him. But damn, this was the best meal he ever had in his entire life. They were not dating. He told himself, but even if they weren’t, he couldn’t picture anyone else he’d want to share a late night meal with than her. 

**3\. the movie night.**

“It is a god damn travesty that you haven’t watched this series.” 

“I really am not a fantasy person, Claude. “ 

“You write fairy tales, By. That’s literally what your Masters is on.” 

“Excuse you, I write literary analysis on fairy tales not…Why does that have to do with Star Wars?” 

“It’s the modern Epic! It’s a modern fairy tale. It’s a space fairy tale.” 

Silence. He wished he could photograph the expression on her face. It was halfway between annoyed and amused. Like she couldn’t decide what she was feeling. Sighing and blowing away her bangs she grabbed a pencil from his desk and tied her hair up into a messy bun with the pencil. “Fine.” 

A grin on his lips, he hopped over the couch with the bowl of popcorn and handed it to her. There was barely any space between them as they sat next to each other but the couch was small. He made the excuse quickly before taking a handful of popcorn. 

The laughter, the gasps, the tears. He was more preoccupied with watching her expressions than the movie he had watched over and over again. The way her eyes sparkled at a certain scene. It was one of the most lovely things he had ever seen. But this was not a date. He had to remind himself so he didn’t put his arm over the back of the chair, thus over her shoulders. This is not a date, he told himself as their hands bumped into each other’s in the bowl of the now empty popcorn. This is not a date he thought as he felt her head fall against his shoulder as she fell asleep. “We are not dating.” He whispered to himself as his own head fell on top of hers as his eyes grew heavy. 

**4\. the phone calls.**

He had not seen her in a few days and it was starting to get weird. He knew that she was probably holed up finishing up her paper. That she was busy and he was also busy as a research assistant, and yet…

They were now two hours into their phone conversation, talking about mundane and random things. Swapping stories of their week and their classmates. Talking about their papers and their latest discovery. Saying anything to fill in the time because neither wanted to hang up and end the conversation. 

Holding the phone to his face, he felt a smile creep up on his lips as he heard her yawn for the second time in a row. “Am I boring you, By?” 

“No..Just haven’t slept in like…four days.” 

“Wait seriously?” 

“No I’m being dramatic. Thought I’d take a page out of your book.” 

“Hey!” 

A sleepy laugh, and he felt his fingers tingle and his heart beat a bit faster. Smiling to himself, he leaned his head against his pillow and hummed an old tune that his mother used to sing to him. “You should sleep soon.”  


“But I missed talking to you. It feels like forever even if it’s only been a few days.” 

“Yeah…it does.” 

“I wonder why that is.” 

It hung awkwardly between them. A silence as they both wondered why they missed each other. Why they were able to fill in the time talking about the most random things and yet it didn’t feel as long as it has been. Its not like this was a phone date between their significant others. It’s not like they were dating. Why did they miss each other so much? Why did they…

“Claude?” 

“Hmn?” 

“Can you talk to me untilI fall asleep? I like listening to your voice.” 

“Your wish is my command.” He whispered softly before he reached over and picked up the paper he was editing. “Do you mind if I talk about modern day poisons in kitchen supplies?” 

A sleepy chuckle. “That sounds like a fun read.” 

“It’s really not….and I’m the one writing on it.” 

“Don’t make me laugh…I’m trying to sleep.”he could feel himself smile softly again, how easy it was to be at ease around her. To be happy with just being able to talk to her over the phone. “So…Bleach…” 

**5\. the bar.**

He didn’t like it when everyone crowded her like that. He knew for a fact that she was not comfortable with crowds much less being the center of attention. Their eyes looked at her like she was some sort of prey and it didn’t sit well with him. Lowering the cup from his lips, he moved across the bar where she was standing uncomfortably before he took the hand of the guy who was about touch her. She looked like she wanted to puke. Overwhelmed by all the attention and the gazes that were more creepy by the minute.

“Hey, By. I was wondering where you were.” He said, his grip on the man tight as he gave her a small smile. “Now, I’m sure you’re not avoiding me, so why not come over. I’m positive that Marianne has something to say to you. If not, you know my company is far better than these idiots.”

“Far better.” She said with a small smirk, a knowing gaze in her eyes before she crossed her arms and waited. 

Now, he knew for a fact that she was no damsel in distress. She was really a ticking time bomb and he did not want to ruin the night when someone called the cops on her. Then spending the rest of the evening breaking out one of his close friends out of jail…again. The amount of times he had seen men cry because they thought she was someone who would take their bullshit. Well, it was fun the first few times, now it’s getting to be annoying. Why won’t people leave her alone when she clearly doesn’t want their attention. Squeezing his grip around the man’s grip, he gave her a playful wave. 

“Wait. Who the hell do you think you are? Are you her boyfriend?” 

“And if I am?” He said with a deadpanned expression as he glanced at the man before shoving him away and taking hold of Byleth’s hand,gently pulling her towards him. “Is this going to be a problem?” 

Byleth raised a brow and glanced up. And like she could read his mind, she leaned up to press a kiss on his cheek. “Where were you, Claude? Already drinking without me? And here I thought it was to celebrate that I finally finished my dissertation.” She teased before lacing her fingers with his and turning away from the crowd that were cornering her.

As soon as they were out of earshot, she looked at him and finally gave him a real smile. “Thank you. I thought I was going to have to break his arm…That would have been a mess.” 

“If you ever encounter that again..You can always say that you have a boyfriend and text me.” 

“But we aren’t dating…right?” 

That’s right. They weren’t dating. The fluttering butterflies in his stomach, the way his ears felt hot when she smiled at him like that. They didn’t mean that they were dating. And yet it also didn’t feel wrong to say that they were dating.“But I’ll still be by your side.” 

“.....Thanks Claude.” 

**6\. Byleth is tired of waiting.**

“So when are you going to ask me to be your girlfriend?” 

He choked on his food and looked up at her. Sitting on top of his bed with a bowl of cereal in her hands, wearing one of his shirts, a blank expression on her face. He blinked a few times before he hit his chest, trying to get down the last bit of fruity sugary cereal down his throat. “What brought this up?” 

“I mean we've really done everything but label it.” She pointed down to the bed they were sitting on. “I even spent the night here.” 

To be fair, it wasn't as sexy as it seemed. They did stay up all night playing games and she had spilled the pasta they made for dinner all over her clothes which was why she was now wearing his shirt. And of course they shared the bed, he only had one bed in his apartment and she wouldn’t let him sleep on the floor or couch. But it wasn’t a date. Just two friends spending their weekend together. 

And it wasn’t like the bed was big, so of course they cuddled and slept in each other’s embrace. It wasn’t like he didn’t have the best sleep of his life and that he really liked the way her hair smelled as he pulled her in closer. It’s not like he spent a good ten minutes staring at the girl in his arms, in awe of how pretty she was. 

Nope. Because they were not dating and that would be very creepy if he did that. 

“Earth to Claude?” 

“Huh?” 

She let out a sigh before she put down her bowl of cereal onto the floor and leaned in to kiss his lips. And my god, his heart skipped a beat, his brain hot wired, his entire body felt hot, and more. She had kissed him before, on the cheek, on the forehead. But this felt so different. Theres was a longing there. Like two pieces finally coming together and becoming whole again. Like how the night sky yearned for the stars to join him. How the flowers longed for the sunlight to bring them warmth. 

Pulling her into his lap, he kissed her properly, his hand weaving into her blue hair and tasting the sugary aftertaste of the cereal. He kissed her like she was a poem. A poem that he had memorized and longed to hear over and over again. A poem that he had written in his heart when he listened to her voice. A poem he rewrote over and over again in his head when he stole a glance of her biting her pen as she worked on her paper. A poem he had written over and over again and threw away when he felt like there was simply no way she felt the same way he did.

Those moments with her couldn’t be dates. They couldn’t be dating. It just wasn’t what happened. This wasn’t some romcom movie that Hilda never stopped talking about. And yet here she was kissing him back. Her hands pulling at his dark locks. 

After another good ten minutes of kissing, touching each other, of enjoying each other’s company did he finally come to the realization of what they were doing. Pulling away, he flipped them over so that he was now on top. Hovering over her as he looked down at her pink cheeks, the bright blue eyes that stared up at him with a look that made his breath catch at the back of his throat. 

“Byleth….” He breathed out before he moved a piece of her blue hair away from her face. Leaning down so their foreheads touched, he felt himself smile like a fool. The sound of their heavy breathing taking over the room. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Finally.” She whispered before pulling at his shirt to kiss him again.

“What do you mean you..You did this because of a betting pool!?!?” 

“Well…yes. They all thought you wouldn’t ask me out until next year and really Claude…that’s ridiculous. We’ve been dancing on the edge for quite a while and I was getting impatient. Do you realize how many times I wanted you to ask me out? I've been practically dropping hints since I asked you to help me find a book in the library. Claude...i can find a book just fine..”

"So you used the library...for nefarious means?" 

"Nefarious? I wanted you to ask me out on a proper date. And since you seemed to just be such a dummy sometimes....well I changed my tactics and just asked you. Who knew it was that simple." 

“By! But…to win a bet…” 

“Technically Cyril won. We are splitting the profits. It’s quite a big pool.” 

Sighing, he ran a hand down his face and wondered how many of their friends were laughing and making fun of how slow he was in asking her out or even realizing that he's been wanting to ask her out for who knows how long. “What day did he put down?” 

“I think it was coming to last few days….I think his deadline was your birthday? Anyways don’t worry, I plan on taking you out for your birthday with my half.”

“Are you saying that our first proper date is going to be for my birthday?” 

“Yes…Is that a problem?” 

Pulling her closer, he smiled and shook his head. “It sounds perfect…the best present I could think of.” 

“Mmmnn. Good cause I already made reservations.” 

“You were mighty confident that I would ask you to be my girlfriend.”  


“I’m quite the catch. You can’t find many fish like me.” 

“Weird…You’re so weird.” 

“And you love that about me.” 

“I can’t argue with that logic.” 

Smiling, she turned her head and kissed the corner of his lips. “I need to put on pants.” 

“I mean….” 

“Claude!” 

**Author's Note:**

> I am not fast..........I am very slow......But here is some cute Claude and Byleth in a university together. Same age? maybe she's a year or two older. Either way..Claude is so smart...yet so dumb......and we love that about him. I thought this was super fun and cute and just incredibly fluffy. 
> 
> The song that didn't really inspire it? but the one I had on loop was  
> (They Long to be) Close To You - The Macaroons Project. 
> 
> It's just a really sweet and cute song....and I don't know..It really suits them a lot I think. 
> 
> Twitter: @bledstars


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